Secure Your Home PC from Invaders

How do I secure my Microsoft Windows homeremove.
computer? By implementing the following guideline you5. Email Spam. Be sure to set up an email spam filter
will be increasing your computers security integrityon your email account. This is a fairly simple process
making it harder for intruders to break in:and there will usually be a help icon which will guide you
1. Anti-Virus. After installing your operating system orthrough the process. Basically you will be blocking all
purchasing a new computer the first priority is toemail coming into your inbox until you apply a rule that
immediately install an anti-virus package to protect youallows only emails that you define as being safe of
when you first connect to the internet. You shouldfrom know contacts, anything else is sent to the
choose a package that will automatically update itselfjunkbox. You will have to be careful as if you are
on a daily basis or make sure you configure yourawaiting an email from a new contact, the email will be
chosen package to update its virus definitions at asent to your junkbox. You will have to find that email
specific time when it is connected to the internet.and add it to your safe contacts list and in the future it
2. Patch The Operating System. Once you have yourwill arrive in your inbox. DO NOT OPEN ANY
anti-virus installed you can connect to the internet andSPAMMED EMAILS OR ATTACHMENTS AS THIS
click on your Update Windows icon which will take youWILL INDICATE THAT YOUR EMAIL ADDRES IS
through the process of downloading and installing theVALID AND / OR IT CAN CONTAIN A VIRUS.
latest system patches. Also, make sure that the6. Wireless Security. If you have a wireless home
downloading and installing of important updates is setnetwork then make sure you have wireless encryption
to automatic.enabled preventing any unauthorised connections to
3. Firewall Defence. Microsoft Windows has a built inyour network or internet.
basic Firewall but it is always advisable to install a third7. Downloading Software or Music. If you download
party Firewall as this will prevent any unrecognisedsoftware applications using a Peer to Peer networking
outbound connections or buy a router which has a builtprogram like Limewire or Kazaa then be careful as
in Firewall for the ultimate first line of defencesome of the files can contain viruses or spyware.
protection.8. Backup, Backup, Backup! Purchase an external hard
4. Spyware Protection. Make sure that you have adrive as this can be used to backup all your music,
memory resident Spyware application which monitorsvideo and picture files, just in case your PC becomes
any changes that are being made to the registry orinfected with a virus and crashes the operating
Internet Explorer. These tend not to be included in thesystem and you need to re-install Windows. You can
free Spyware programs available and some of thethe view all of you files without loosing them.
freeware programs actually contain Spyware. By9. Encryption. If you keep sensitive data on your PC
purchasing a brand named Spyware package you willthen applying encryption to these files makes it hard
get a more advanced software package whichfor someone to view the contents.
include the memory resident program and does not10. Passwords. Try to use a password which is not a
contain any Spyware. Configure the Spywarecommonly used name but one that is unique, either by
program to automatically download any new updatesadding uppercase characters and numbers to the
and allow it to scan your hard drive at least once aword, which strengthens the passwords encryption.
week to pick up any malicious code for you to